Ms Cooling set up her business after achieving a BTEC National Diploma in textiles, an A-Level in fine art, and a first class honours degree from Cleveland College of Art and Design (CCAD).

After graduation, she completed a PGCE, but was already planning her retail venture.

“I knew that starting a business was what I really wanted to do,” she said.

“Throughout the year I was studying the PGCE, I created a brand, reworked designs, built up contacts and sourced suppliers in the hope of using the research to start up a business. “In the year following my PGCE, I spent 12 months sourcing the right supplier.”

She added that CCAD had given her an insight into the possibilities of the creative world.

“I most enjoyed the freedom to try everything and anything without the constraints of deadlines, budgets etc and to be able to do those things around likeminded people and established professionals,” she said.

“CCAD is and always will be close to my heart.”

Mr Paphitis said of the Small Business Sunday competition: “I admire people who have passion and energy.

“If you cannot bore your friends to death about your own small business then something is seriously wrong.

“I was struck by the number of business owners on Twitter who wanted to tell me about their new products and services.

“Small Business Sunday was born so that people have a specific time slot to tweet and can pitch their ‘sell’ directly to me.”